U.S. stocks dropped sharply Wednesday afternoon, following an optimistic morning report from both Apple and Boeing in their 4^th-quarter earnings results.

Investors were buoyed by the results, which showed that Apple sold almost 9 million more iPhones than expected. German-listed shares of Apple were up 6 percent in trading Wednesday morning.

As the day went on, however, the energy sectors weighted on major indexes. Oil prices fell another 4%, this time below $45 per barrel.

The stock market is searching for good news, after a calamitous Tuesday in which the Dow fell almost 400 points in early trading, before settling at a 291-point loss. The latest concern is that a strong dollar will make it harder for companies to reach sales targets.

Back here at home, attention turned to the Federal Reserve this afternoon. The Fed wrapped up its first two-day policy making session of 2015 this afternoon with an announcement that future rate hikes would depend on economic data. Many experts are still targeting mid-year as the likely time frame for the first change in interest rates.

Here are the final numbers from Wednesday on Wall Street:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,191.44 (-195.77)

NASDAQ: 4,637.99 (-43.50) 

S&P 500: 2,002.16 (-27.39) 

Wall Street thought they dodged a bullet when the “Blizzard of 2015” fizzled into little more than a nuisance in New York City. Little did they know more trouble was around the corner.

Stocks took a nosedive from the opening bell on Wall Street Tuesday, as several major corporations reported disappointing earnings figures.

Caterpillar and Procter & Gamble were among those issuing reports that fell short of expectations, causing worry amongst investors and traders. Both companies slashed their sales and profit forecasts for 2015, signaling that the strength of the U.S. dollar could dent profits for major companies this year.

Orders for business equipment also fell sharply—almost 3.5%—which experts see as a symptom of the slowing global economy and its impact here in the States.

The Dow Jones Industrial Index dropped almost 400 points early in trading. Tomorrow, investors will turn their eyes to an announcement from the Federal Reserve following their first meeting of 2015.

Here were the numbers from Wall Street on Tuesday:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,387.21 (-291.49)

NASDAQ: 4,681.50 (-90.27)

S&P 500: 2,029.55 (-27.54)

U.S. stocks finished relatively flat on Monday as investors faced the one-two punch of uncertainty in the weather forecast and in overseas markets.

The big story on Wall Street Monday was the impending blizzard scheduled to hit New York City overnight. As of this afternoon, Wall Street hoped to open on time on Tuesday.

But cautious investors were also wary of another storm this morning—one brewing in the Euro Zone.

Greece held their elections over the weekend, with the radical, left-wing Syriza party winning at least 149 of the country’s 300 Parliament seats. This result created increased uncertainty regarding Greece’s economic future.

Experts believe the Syriza party’s victory raises the likelihood of Greece exiting the Euro currency altogether, while also re-igniting the concerns that last week’s quantitative easing announcement by the European Central Bank aimed to quell. Above all, creditors are concerned that this will lead Greece to default on its considerable debt.

As a result, the Euro has already fallen to its lowest point against the U.S. dollar since 2004.

Domestically, it’s a light week for data, with the highlight expected to come on Wednesday, when the first Federal Reserve meeting of 2015 concludes.

Here were the final numbers from Wall Street Monday:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,678.70 (+6.10)

NASDAQ: 4,771.76 (+13.88)

S&P 500: 2,057.09 (+5.27)

Market Recap for week of 1/19—1/23

After weeks of focusing primarily on falling oil prices, this week’s big story was the start of quantitative easing in Europe. Much like we did here in the U.S., the European Central bank is pumping this “easy money” into their economy to stop the bleeding, so to speak, in terms of deflation and the growing threat of recessions in European economies.

Monday the markets were closed in observation of Martin Luther King Day.

Tuesday the market was down early as a result of oil price declines and poor 4^th quarter earnings numbers from Johnson & Johnson. After falling nearly 200 points in the early part of the session, the market would rebound on a strong day for the technology sector. When all was said and done, after all the single day volatility, the Dow closed up 3 points.

Wednesday saw the market stay relatively flat most of the day. Early numbers were slightly lower after a disappointing IBM earnings report, but the market made up those losses with the uptick in oil prices. For the day, the Dow finished up 39 points.

Thursday was the day the markets were waiting for, as the European Central Bank (or ECB) unveiled its plans for bond buying or quantitative easing. ECB President Mario Dragi announced that starting in March, the bank would purchase 60 billion euros per month (which is about $70 billion dollars) in bonds, in an attempt to reverse the deflation currently sending European economies into recession. The markets reacted favorably, and the Dow closed up 259 points.

Friday investors resumed their focus on energy prices and oil—which dropped 2% on the day. Stocks remained relatively even for much of the day, but concerns grew as the end of trading approached. Energy sector leader Exxon Mobil was the day’s biggest loser, as the Dow finished the day down 141 points.

U.S. stocks slid early on Friday, as investors returned their focus to energy prices.

Oil was down more than 1% in early trading, as word emerged of the passing of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah. No change in policy is expected, but uncertainty was enough to fuel concern on an already jittery Wall Street.

In terms of earnings reports, McDonald’s posted a 7.3% decline in quarterly sales. General Electric posted a revenue figures that just missed estimate, while UPS stock fell after warnings that their fourth-quarter profits would come in below expectations.

The U.S. dollar strengthened again against other global currencies, as declines in the Euro continued after the Thursday announcement of quantitative easing in the Euro Zone.

As of 1 p.m., here are the Friday numbers on Wall Street:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,783.86 (-30.12)

NASDAQ: 4,764.97 (+14.57)

S&P 500: 2,061.37 (-1.78)

U.S. stocks moved higher Thursday following European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi’s announcement that the ECB will embark on a bond buying program in the near future.

The announcement came about 10 a.m. East Coast time and immediately sent the Dow soaring by almost 200 points.

The ECB’s program will see an open-ended, monthly purchase of 60 billion euros (about $70 billion) in public and private bond-buying. Draghi hopes this action will boost the Euro Zone’s suffering inflation rate, which came in at -0.2% for 2014.

“Markets have been waiting 2 1/2 years for ECB President Mario Draghi to put pen to paper on his promise that he’d do whatever it takes, so the larger risk is for Draghi to do something less than spectacular,” Art Hogan, chief market strategist at Wunderlich Securities, told CNBC.

This morning, the weekly jobless claims reports came in at 307,000 (as opposed to 300,000.) American Express also announced plans to cut about 4,000 jobs over the next year during their 4^th quarter earnings report.

Here are the numbers for Thursday on Wall Street:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,813.98 (+259.70)

NASDAQ: 4,750.40 (+82.98)

S&P 500: 2,063.15 (+31.03)

Stocks stayed even in Wednesday trading, after a volatile Tuesday saw the Dow drop almost 200 points before rallying to finish the day flat.

Investors are anxiously awaiting word from the European Central Bank (ECB) as to whether they will embark on a long-expected bond buying program. ECB President Mario Draghi is thought to favor the decision, despite opposition from Germany. An announcement is expected on Thursday.

Until then, the market will continue to focus on 4^th quarter earnings and oil prices (which were up slightly this morning.) Several large banks and tech companies reported after the opening bell this morning. IBM’s disappointing reports brought a drop of nearly 100 points immediately after the markets opened.

Finally, the World Economic Forum begins today in Switzerland. Several prominent heads of state and business leaders will discuss the state of economic affairs, in the midst of the International Monetary Fund’s report that global growth is shrinking on a yearly basis.

As of 3 p.m., here are the numbers on Wall Street:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,520.14 (+4.91)

NASDAQ: 4,661.10 (+6.26) 

S&P 500: 2,029.09 (+6.54)

U.S. stock markets finished Tuesday mostly flat, after a day filled with uncertainty due to oil prices and 4th quarter earnings.

It was a bad morning on Wall Street, as the Dow fell over 100 points during the early part of the session. Oil prices dropped almost 5% on Tuesday to just over $46 per barrel.

But it was earnings reports from big-name companies such as Morgan Stanley and Johnson & Johnson that took center stage after the opening bell today. Johnson & Johnson’s disappointing results played a significant role in the morning’s poor performance.

Later in the day, prices fought back to even on the strength of the technology sector. They finished the day up slightly from Friday’s close. (Monday was a market holiday, in observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.)

Other major issues in focus today are President Obama’s State of the Union address, scheduled for 9 p.m. tonight, as well as the European Central Bank’s (ECB) two-day meeting this week. Many believe the ECB will announce its own quantitative easing program on Thursday.

Here are Tuesday’s final numbers on Wall Street:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 17,515.23 (+3.66)

NASDAQ: 4,654.85 (+20.46)

S&P 500: 2,022.55 (+3.13)